CH. XIII. Report, W. R. Vol. XX., Part I., p. 193. of the disaster in progress and immediately suspended the movement on the left, ordering the troops engaged in it back to the west side of the river. While Sheridan was fighting his desperate battle on the ground which he still held tenaciously against the flushed and victorious Confederates, Rosecrans sent Lovell H. Rousseau of Thomas's corps into the cedar-brakes to Sheridan's right and rear; Horatio P. Van Cleve was hurried across the river to join Rousseau's right, and Rosecrans, Charles G. Harker was posted further down the Murfreesboro pike. All these troops were soon engaged with the enemy, who came pouring along the new front of the Union lines intent upon striking the road to Nashville in Rosecrans's rear. There was no necessity for Bragg to change his plans. Although adopted in ignorance of the plan of his adversary, they worked to a marvel. Writing his report nearly two months later he did not even then seem to suspect that his right had ever been threatened, and severely censured Breckinridge for reporting that any movement had been in progress against him.1 Had it not been for the splendid courage with which Sheridan, Palmer, and William B. Hazen held the 1 "This disposition, the result of necessity, left me no reserve; but Breckinridge's command on the right, not now threatened, was regarded as a source of supply for any reënforcements absolutely necessary to other parts of the field." General Bragg further says in his report that when in the morning he had called on Breckinridge for two brigades to reënforce Hardee, Breckinridge replied that the Bragg, Report. W. R. Vol. XX., Part I., pp. 664-666. CH. XIII. points assigned them, and the coolness and the determination with which Rosecrans, assisted by Thomas, exerted his utmost energies to restore his broken and shattered lines, Bragg would have won on that day the greatest of all the Confederate victories of the war. Sheridan, Vol. XX., Part I.. pp. 349, 350. Four times the enemy poured his serried columns upon Sheridan's narrow front, and although he lost ground gradually in these terrific attacks, his line was never broken and the enemy paid dearly for every inch they gained. He neglected no opportunity that presented itself for an offensive return. In one magnificent charge, General Joshua W. Sill drove the enemy before him back to his intrenchments, losing his own life in this gallant feat of arms. Later in the fight George W. Roberts was killed, and after him Frederick Schaefer, Sheridan thus losing all his brigade commanders. At last, when his ammunition was exhausted, Sheridan, with General James S. Negley, who had also fired his last shot, fell back, still retaining the dangerous aspect of a wounded lion, through the cedar forests to the open space by the Murfreesboro pike, where he formed a new line on the right of Palmer's division. Even this frightful ordeal had not broken the spirit of his troops. In this retreat through the cedars, two of his regiments found a little supply of ammunition, and the moment they had attained their new position they made a fresh attack upon the enemy, clearing the timber in their front. The death of their commanders did not shake the constancy of his brigades who still obeyed Sheridan's orders as if on parade. When the enemy had almost reached the Murfreesboro pike, George |